Habsburg Spain
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Habsburg Spain refers to the history of Spain over the 16th and 17th centuries (1506–1700), when Spain was ruled by the major branch of the Habsburg dynasty (also associated to its role in the history of Central Europe). Under Habsburg rule (chiefly under Charles V and Philip II of Spain), Spain reached the zenith of its influence and power, controlling territory ranging from the Americas to the Philippines in Asia, the Low Countries (which included territories now in France and Germany), to most of modern-day Italy in Europe, and from 1580 to 1640 Portugal, the Portuguese Empire and various other territories such as Malta in the Mediterranean basin and small enclaves like Ceuta and Oran in North Africa. Altogether, Habsburg Spain was, for well over a century, the world's greatest power. For this reason, this period of Spanish history has also been referred to as the "Age of Expansion".
During the latter Habsburg kings, and mainly in the second half of the 17th century, Spain experienced a gradual political and cultural decline.
